On Wednesday, January 12, the House passed a resolution condemning the brutal attack on Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of the Tucson, Arizona shooting tragedy. The resolution also honors the memory of the six lives that were lost, expresses hope for the rapid and complete recovery of those wounded and recognizes the bravery of the individuals who helped in subduing the attacker and saving lives. The copy of the four-page resolution can be found here.

Upon passage of the resolution, Congressman DesJarlais (TN-04) noted:

“I’m pleased that Members of the House of Representatives came together today to speak with a unified voice in both condemning this heinous attack, and expressing our condolences to the friends and families of all the innocent victims that were killed or wounded due to this horrific act of violence.

“This resolution reaffirms the democratic principles that Congresswoman Giffords herself espoused when she read the First Amendment of the Constitution during the opening week of the 112^th Congress – the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

“It is critical that we send a message that threats of violence and intimidation will not prevent Americans from participating in the democratic process. I will continue to fulfill my obligation of representing the people of Tennessee’s fourth Congressional District by making myself directly available to the people that I serve in order to foster discussion and exchange ideas.”

Additionally, a bipartisan prayer service honoring Giffords and the Arizona shooting victims was held at 1 p.m. EST.

A copy of Speaker Boehner’s remarks on the House floor can be found here.